


Temporary Solutions

by yet_intrepid



Series: Asleep in My Arms [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Weechesters, Young Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-03-01 00:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2752793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yet_intrepid/pseuds/yet_intrepid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John heard the phrase “terrible twos” from Mary a couple times. Mostly she laughed about it, when Dean knocked shit over or wanted pie three meals a day. John’s not laughing. Sam is an actual fucking terror.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Temporary Solutions

**Author's Note:**

> December 8 prompt: restrained

It’s Dean’s first day of school.

First grade, no kindergarten because they never lived long enough in a state that required it. He’s six and a half. Doesn’t know a damn thing, but at least he talks more than he did a year ago. John figures he’ll do all right. The bus stop’s easy to find, just at the corner; Dean’s walked further than that for candy. And he’s got lunch. Probably.

Anyway, John’s got other things to worry about. He hasn’t slept more than a couple hours in two days now, finishing up his last hunt. He got back in time to make sure Dean was up and going, and now he’s ready to collapse into bed. Even a shower seems like too much effort.

But there’s Sam.

John heard the phrase “terrible twos” from Mary a couple times. Mostly she laughed about it, when Dean knocked shit over or wanted pie three meals a day. John’s not laughing. Sam is an actual fucking terror.

Soon as he realizes Dean’s out of the bed, he starts wailing. Dean, Dean, Daddy, no, want Dean, why. John makes the mistake of answering that one.

“Dean went to school.”

“Why?”

“Cause he’s gotta.”

“Why?”

“It’s the law.”

“Why?”

“Somebody made it. Kids gotta learn to read and write.”

“Why?”

“So they won’t be ignorant little shits like you,” John says, and Sam just cocks his head, trying to process that. God. Kid’ll probably _like_ school. Dean never asked this many questions.

“But,” Sam says, tears leaking out of his eyes again, “want Dean.”

“What, Dad’s not good enough for you?”

“Want _Dean_.”

“Later. You have to go back to bed.”

“No.”

“ _Yes_ , Sam.” John picks him up and lays him down. Sam struggles hard, even kicks. What the hell is John supposed to do? So he just holds him there.

Sam wails some more. He doesn’t want to go to bed. He wants Dean. Same old stuff.

“Go—to—sleep,” John repeats.

“Why?”

He’s not doing this again. “Because I said so, Sam. You obey Daddy.”

“Why?”

John fumbles. He’s gotta come up with something now. Nothing hands on, though, because all he wants is to go to sleep. “Because if you don’t obey, you’ll have to stay in the bathroom. By yourself. For a long time.”

Sam’s lip trembles. “Until Dean comes back?”

“Maybe.” It’s satisfying to say.

And it’s effective, too. Sam calms down for a minute. But John only gets as far as his own bed before the crying starts up again, just as loud as before.

“Sam!”

Sam sits up. “I miss Dean, Daddy! I can’t go sleep all by myself!”

John sighs. “Yes, you can.”

Sam shakes his head vigorously.

“If you come sleep in Daddy’s bed, will you be still and quiet?”

Sam pouts. “Want _Dean_.”

“Dean’s not here.”

Wailing. What’s left of John’s patience evaporates and he scoops Sam up, depositing him in the bathroom with a pillow. The doorknob’s too high for him to reach. John flips the fan on to muffle some of the noise, although he hopes Sam will settle down before long.

He shuts the door, making sure there aren’t any little fingers caught in it, and heads back to his own bed. Reluctantly, he sets an alarm that’ll go off all too soon. Maybe when Sam comes out, he’ll behave.

John closes his eyes, pulls a blanket over his head against the pounding on the bathroom door and the muffled little voice calling out, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy. Dean, _Dean_!”

It’s a shitty solution. But it’s temporary, that’s all, so he falls asleep.

An hour later when his alarm goes off, everything’s silent. He peeks in the bathroom door to find Sam curled up on the floor asleep. His head’s on the pillow and he’s covered up with a towel.

John figures the kid shouldn’t stay there, so he picks him up to take him to bed. He tries to drop the towel on the bathroom floor, but Sam’s little hand is gripping it tight.

John drags the thing along into Sam’s bed. Not that kids should have towels in their beds, but John’s still wore out and Sam’s gotta stay asleep.

It’s a temporary solution. That’s all.


End file.
